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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27471700">The Master's Companion</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WondersoftheMultiverse/pseuds/WondersoftheMultiverse'>WondersoftheMultiverse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Drabble Requests [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drabble, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Reader-Insert, Requested, The Master just needs a hug, mushrooms!, story expansion, the master and margarita</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:02:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,805</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27471700</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WondersoftheMultiverse/pseuds/WondersoftheMultiverse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Something was wrong. On any other day the Master would have stood his ground and snapped back with equal ferocity, whatever was silencing him was obviously playing on his mind in a way you couldn’t understand. It wasn't that his usual chaotic bundle of emotions weren’t there, you could see them broiling away in his eyes as he watched you, his barely controllable rage simmering beneath the surface of his tawny brown skin. One thing you were certain of, was the fact that the subject had been the cause of his impromptu visit, and whatever it was you were determined to get to the bottom of it.</p><p>Shuffling into your kitchen, you opened the first cupboard you could find and peered through the towering mess of cans, bags of flour and half eaten cereal boxes, searching for a substantial and warming meal that would help pry the information you desired out from behind the Master’s closed off walls. </p><p>At the back of your cupboard, salvation glimmered in the warm glow of your kitchen lights; two cans of Mushroom soups stacked upon each other.</p><p>[Drabble Request]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dhawan!Master x Reader - Relationship, The Master (Dhawan)/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Drabble Requests [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1678645</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Master's Companion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>As always this was written with a time limit with minimal proof reading, you can request a feel good prompt from my blog! <br/>Thanks and stay awesome!</p><p>Request: Okay but imagine The Master coming to you absolutely broken after the events of the book... Damn it I just wanna take care of him 🥺 (And yeah, he brings the parrot)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>
    <strong>The Master's Companion</strong>
  </p>
  <p>The soft patter of rain tapping against your window filled your flat with a muffled ambience as you slowly turned your way page by page through your latest choice, the Shining by Stephen King. It was a new release, the newspapers touting it to be the latest thriller in psychological horror. Your days had been reduced to reading as many books as you could get your hands on, a safe and more believable alternative reality to the one you seemed to be living through. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Your life hadn't been normal from the moment you were born, your early childhood years filled with heart-breaking and strange events that no one could ever quite place. Your parents had abandoned on the doorstep of another, a small babe left out in the rain to fend for itself; left in a storm similar to the one that bore down beyond your window pane now. Since then you have been passed through the adoption system like a hot potato, no one guardian staying long enough to care. Some had died, some had disappeared and others had been admitted to asylums, screaming to the authorities and questioning your heritage.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>At first you never understood their accusations, had thrown them into the rubbish with the rest of your bad luck. But then one fateful dewy morning in 1950, everything changed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A loud crackle of lightning lit up your room as you jolted from your lounged position across the sofa, your heart racing as you glanced around at your furnishings with misplaced suspicion. Every shadow in the room seemed to twist and turn with a malicious shift, your mind racing into overtime as you felt the cold grip of fear wrap around your heart.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Perhaps reading a book like the Shining alone, in your flat on a stormy night was not the brightest of ideas. Creasing the corner edge of your page over, you closed the book with a soft thud and threw it down against the coffee table, your fingers encircling the remote of your small television unit as you switched it on. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A splash of colour flickered about your room as the grainy image of the news fluttered onto your screen, the colour shifting in intensity before settling into a constant. It was marvellous how the picture appeared, everyday it felt as though the colour quality in the image was improving as technology slowly gathered pace in its innovation.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“Our next report may contain images that some viewers find distressing. Reports of a building collapse in Russia have been dominating the Soviet Union's headlines, eye witnesses reported seeing a cloud of what appeared to be Mushroom spores and heads protruding from a third floor window before the building collapsed. Russian officials have dismissed these claims to be false and attribute the collapse to a gas leak, saying that the eyewitness accounts were unreliable due to the nature of the incident, 342 people were killed-”</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A loud series of knocks reverberated off your door, your body jolting instinctively once more as you jumped up from the sofa and stumbled back to the side. In your retreat you accidentally caught your shin on your low lying table, a string of curses falling from your lips as you tried to recover yourself and your mind. Pressing a hand to your chest, you urged your racing heart to slow, your chest heaving as you breathed deep and calming breaths.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The knocks on your door resounded once more, quicker and more impatient than the first. Whoever or whatever was demanding your attention at midnight on a Thursday had obviously deemed the matter urgent.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Latching onto the handle you threw open the small rickety door without checking the copper peephole, a bad habit that you were yet to break. Sighing exasperatedly you rolled your eyes at your impromptu visitor, your features quickly morphing into a look of confusion as you took in the sight before you.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master, a man of whom you had met so long ago had returned from another one of his wild secretive trips and was standing before you. He was soaked to the bone as water dripped from his coat, hat, hair and features, his attire suspicious in its own right: thick fur coats, a high black turtle neck covered in tears and a bearskin hat wrapped tightly over his head. His hair was long and unruly at the front, his beard recently trimmed if the small nicks on his skin were anything to go by. A single bag sat perched on the floor between you, a faint faded symbol of Soviet Russia printed onto its surface, the leather torn and aged around the buckles from seemingly constant use. But those factors weren't what made the situation strange and foreign to you, he had always reappeared sporadically back in your life with little to no warning. No, what was strange was the beautiful Amazonian parrot perched on his shoulder in an equally drenched state.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Master…” You gasped, your eyes shifting across his form as you widened the door further to your apartment. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>With a deflated sigh, the Time Lord stepped past the threshold and into your living room, his eyes crawling across the late 70’s décor with a barely concealed snear of disgust. Closing the door behind him, you rounded him once again, your eyes latching onto his own as you demanded his attention for the first time in years.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The relationship you shared was one that was established on shaky grounds, he had completely thrown your world into turmoil, opening your eyes to the lies of which the foundations for your life had been planted on. You could still recall the feral glee that shined in his eyes as he told you of your true heritage, the mystery of the blood that pumped through your veins. He had traced the rumours that had slipped from the halls of the mental hospitals, had followed the tale of the child with glowing gold skin. The mystery he found though was less exciting than he had hoped, the disappointment clear in the tone of his voice as he scanned you with the glowing end of a strange elaborate box.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>With a hard ding the device chimed its completion, his eyes darkening as he peered at the small screen. A Hybrid he had declared through gritted teeth, a mixture of two species, an abominable creature born of two planets and two lying despicable factions. You were the epitome of what he loathed in the universe, half Time Lord, half Human. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Despite the revelation he had still tugged you by the arm and away from your settled life, educating you in a species you barely knew while testing your capabilities. Despite being so closed off you had started to lean into him during those first ten years, your heart catching itself in the act as you stared longing at his dark eyes and wondered what could possibly be floating through that head of his. It was your growing affection for him that had strengthened your resolve, had powered you through the days of tests and experiments. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Those early years were your most hopeful ones, that was until he left without a word.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What happened?” You questioned as you pulled in your wandering thoughts, moving around the small flat you switched off the television screen and neatened the arrangement of pillows that decorated your chair. “You’ve been gone for a decade.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“It’s none of your concern.” He hissed through gritted teeth, an anger bubbling beneath the surface. “This is how you’ve spent the past ten years? I had hoped for more.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No thanks to you.” You snapped back, “I’ve had to upend my life completely, travelling country to country. Do you know how hard it is to create a new identity every ten years? The moment someone compliments me on how I look for my age-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Your Time Lord biology.” The Master supplied simply, his eyes following your pacing form as he simmered in his spot. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You know that though. Like you know you can change what they see, If you’d only focus.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Ceasing on the spot you narrowed your eyes on his form, his body rigid in its place as he lingered by the entrance to your flat. You could see the broiling rage that he kept at bay, and had suffered the consequences that riling him up wrought upon the world. He was trying to control his urges though, his hands clenched tightly at his sides; knuckles turning a stark white in colour. A pang of concern flooded your system as you noted the tired rings that hung around his eyes, his skin less vibrant and body more crumpled in on itself than it usually was. He looked completely exhausted, soaking wet and cold.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Deciding to drop the subject for another time you approached the Master cautiously, your hands raised as you closed the distance between yourselves. Silently, you gently pried the thick heavy coat off of his shoulders, the parrot that had been perched lifelessly by his side swooping off and settling atop the TV’s aerial. You focused your thoughts and dismissed the idle daydreams that popped into your mind as your hands brushed over his skin, hot and feverish to the touch. He had been working out wherever he had been, the defining of his muscles clear through the sopping black turtle neck he wore. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Sliding the heavy fur coat down his arms, you rolled it up into a tight ball before tossing it to the side and over your sofa. The Master watched you inquisitively, his lower lip trembling as it usually did when he was confused, angry or perplexed. Ignoring the prying stare, your hands brushed across his shoulders and to the dangling fur ends of his hat, your fingers curling into the matted fur as you pulled it free and threw it across the room. Straightening your shoulders, you forced a tight smile.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’ll run you a bath, go to my room and check the bottom draws. There’s some clothes in there that I keep just in case-” You paused, your eyes shifting away as an embarrassing warmth blushed across your cheeks. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“In case you ever return. I know you’re picky with your outfits, you’ll only moan if I sort you something out.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And with that you retreated to the safe haven of your bathroom, your back pressing against the door as you released a pent up sigh of relief. It wasn’t that you hated the Master, nor was it that you doubted his intentions in his visit. In fact you were elated by his presence, excitement mottled with frustration and resentment filling your bones. It had been years since you had been given the opportunity to ask more questions to your nature and history, years since you had enjoyed a meaningful connection with another. Of course, he hated you to your atomic level, but there was a mutual respect hidden behind those dark eyes, a shared darkness that you both had lived. But then in the wake of the excitement the anger would strike, the hurt from his sudden disappearance explained by a parting short handwritten note and a strange metallic scanning device.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Stomping across to the bath, you switched on the taps with a dull screech, hot steamy water flowing from the faucet and into the bottom of the basin. Spinning on your heel, you opened up a nearby cabinet and retrieved a small can of men’s soap, the brick dropping into the water as it slowly dissolved and awaited its use. As a slight jab you also poured a small solution of your usual bubble bath mixture into the water, relishing the large mountains of bubbles that started to form beneath the flowing torrent from the tap. He would hate it, of course.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Closing off the tap you couldn't help but wonder whether he noticed the efforts you had gone to, whether he had realised that despite your simmering resentment and anger from his departure, you had still prepared for him and kept him on your mind often. He would never thank you for your help, would never comment on the strange relationship you seemed to share. Chewing the inside of your lip, you debated if he even remembered those early years, if he had ever enjoyed a moment spent by your side.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Emerging from the bathroom, you gasped and quickly averted your eyes as the Master stood lingering beyond the door. A wide cocky grin had crawled across his features at your reaction to his barely dressed form, he was wearing the deep maroon silk dressing gown you had put to one side, the belt barely holding the material together and concealing his stark naked form. In his arms was a bundled set of purple and blue tartan loungewear you had picked up from the store one day, the colours reminding you of the stars from which he had fallen from.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You haven’t changed.” You uttered as you passed him with a slight bump to the shoulder. If you had been looking you would have noticed the deep set frown that crawled across his features, his shoulders shifting as he turned to watch you pass by.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Were the bubbles <em>necessary</em>?” He questioned sarcastically.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Keeping your eyes trained to his own and fighting the urge to glance elsewhere, you nodded with your own sarcastic grin. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You stink.” You declared, “You need to wash.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Do we need to have a chat about power dynamics again? Because-” He cleared his throat as his head inclined forwards, “I’m quite happy to remind you <em>who</em> is in charge, and why.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Do I need to remind you that you’re the one who’s come waltzing into my home in the middle of the night?” You snapped back without thinking, your eyes widening at the aftermath of the words passing your lips.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The frown that had graced the Masters features before returned as he took a slight step backwards, his head dipping once in consideration before wordlessly turning into the bathroom and closing the door in his wake. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Something was wrong. On any other day the Master would have stood his ground and snapped back with equal ferocity, whatever was silencing him was obviously playing on his mind in a way you couldn’t understand. It wasn't that his usual chaotic bundle of emotions weren’t there, you could see them broiling away in his eyes as he watched you, his barely controllable rage simmering beneath the surface of his tawny brown skin. One thing you were certain of, was the fact that the subject had been the cause of his impromptu visit, and whatever it was you were determined to get to the bottom of it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Shuffling into your kitchen, you opened the first cupboard you could find and peered through the towering mess of cans, bags of flour and half eaten cereal boxes, searching for a substantial and warming meal that would help pry the information you desired out from behind the Master’s closed off walls. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>At the back of your cupboard, salvation glimmered in the warm glow of your kitchen lights; two cans of Mushroom soups stacked upon each other.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Dunking your spoon into the bowl of soup, you slurped it off the edge ravenously, relishing in the warmth it provided as it slipped down the back of your throat. Across from you, the tv slowly flickered with images as the news continued to run through its headlines, the anchor drawing the programming to its end as it prepared for the usual teletext readouts. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As if on cue, the door to your bathroom clicked open and the Master waddled out. He was wearing the tightly fitted tartan loungewear you had picked with confidence, the silk robe he had thrown on earlier fastened around his waist tighter than it had been before. His hair was still damp from where he had soaked off in the tub, the stray bubble clinging to the dark locks as they slowly vanished from existence. The colour in his skin had returned and the darkness that hung around his eyes had alleviated ever so slightly, he seemed healthier and more presentable from when he had arrived at your door.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Spotting the food awaiting him on the table, the Master spurred into action, his body passing around the front of the table in a purple blur before crashing down into the chair adjacent from you; a hefty sigh befalling his lips. Clutching at the bowl, he pulled it in close, his head leaned over the liquid as he inhaled deeply. You watched with mild amusement as the smell seemingly passed his first test, his fingers curling around the spoon as he dunked it beneath its creamy white surface. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re<em> welcome</em>.” You noted lamely as he shoved the utensil into his mouth with a grin.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Humming, the Master dived in for a second spoonful, his eyebrows knitting together as he was slower to return for thirds. Pulling the spoon from his mouth with a ‘pop’, the Time Lord eyed the bowl before him suspiciously as he rolled the soup around in his mouth.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“They suit you.” You commented politely, your head gesturing to the tartan loungewear he wore.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The polite comment seemed to catch the Master off guard, his eyes snapping to meet your own as he reluctantly swallowed the soup that had been pushed and pulled through his teeth. Smacking his lips, he reached across to the nearby bowl of bread, his hands snatching a slice as he began to methodically pull the crust away from its edge.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Reminds me of someone I used to be.” The Master admitted softly, his eyes glimmering. “The colour blue- no- or is it purple? I think I still like it.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I haven’t seen you in it before.” You replied, eager to keep the conversation in a brighter, more peaceful territory. “When you say<em>‘someone you used to be’</em>, you’re referring to regeneration right?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master’s eyebrow rose as the corner of his lips tugged into a sly smile.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“It’s a lottery.” He paused, “<em>Painful</em>.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Will I…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No.” He cut across quickly, his eyes shifting across your features as his face softened slightly. “Your Hybridism doesn’t work the same, you’re just a human with an extended lifespan.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You ignored the bitter pang of disappointment that shot through you at the revelation, the Master’s eyes boring into your soul as he seemingly read your thoughts as though they were written on the pages of a book. Glancing across the room, you focused in on the tattered leather case that he had arrived with, your eyes latching to the faded Russian symbol.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Soviet Russia then.” You announced, eager to steer the topic of conversation away from your fear for the unknown.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master swivelled in his seat as he followed your gaze to his case, his tongue clicking as he nodded slowly in confirmation. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Perceptive for a Hybrid.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What can I say?” You drawled sarcastically. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You were used to the thinly veiled insults by this point, back when you had first met he had used them all the time, his early knocks into your walls strengthening them for the years to come. The insults had eased though as you spent more and more time with him, almost to the point that they had become terms of endearment as opposed to the sharpened jabs that he seemed to hone them as now. Something had changed inside of him, its presence recreating a barrier between you and emphasising the mixture of undefined emotions that lingered in the seemingly cavernous void.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Is that where you’ve been?” You prodded, your eyes averting to your soup as you pushed it around your bowl. “What have you been doing?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master’s mouth fell open before closing slowly, his own gaze flickering across to the news that filtered onto the tv screen as he diverted the topic at hand.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You ask too many questions.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Sorry It’s just- well… It's been so long since you left, I…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You frowned inwardly, your words dying at the base of your throat as you struggled to address them. If he had never left, you wondered whether things would still be the same, whether you would patiently be waiting and pining for him while he explored the world and experienced new adventures. You had learnt quickly that the Master valued his space, valued the positive benefits he could reap from another's presence and company. At first you had assumed you were a benefit, but as you caught yourself falling you had hoped for more.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>That was until he left.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I worked out the device-” You began instead, your spoon dropping against the side of your bowl as you stood from the table. Wandering across to a nearby bookshelf, you slipped free a thick folder of notes and accounts. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“-what it means and what its monitoring. I’ve been using it to track the bleeps, I've even visited the locations.” You approached the desk with a spring in your step, your heart leaping at the look of inquisitiveness that crawled across the Master’s warm chocolate eyes. Slamming the folder down in the space between you, you slipped back into your seat.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“They’ve always been in a location close to some kind of activity- activity that’s linked to that man you told me about…” You opened the folder, the pages crackling as you turned them slowly before stopping on the photograph of an aged man with a velvet cape.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“The Doctor?” You phrased it as a question, but truthfully you already knew the answer.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master inhaled sharply as his fingers brushed against the photograph, his attention flickering between the Doctor and the human girl that stood beside him. They weren’t aware of the photo being taken, their hands conjoined together as they paced down a random street in London. The Doctor seemed to be talking, his free hand caught mid wave through the air while the young woman beside him watched with a look of avid amusement.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Noticing his shift in fixation, you pried your fingers behind his closed doors once more.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“He had a human with him, I don’t know-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That would be one of his pets.” The Master acknowledged, his finger tapping down onto her face before pulling back and away. Reaching across to the bowl of bread, he plucked up another slice and began to dissect it once again.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Pets?” You pushed, “She didn’t seem like she was there against her will to me. Why don’t you have someone with you? Don’t you get lonely?” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I prefer it.” The Master was quick to answer, his attention solely on the torn apart bread that he played with in his hands.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re stronger than me then.” You whispered, your eyes watering as you considered the loneliness you had fallen prey to over the last decade without him by your side. You could tell just by looking at him that there was more to the story than what he told you, the faint echoes of his own loneliness was painted across his features as he chewed half heartedly away at the ball of dough he had rolled together. In the past you would have stood by and idly watched as he buried his weaknesses beneath the wall of indifference that he touted as his ‘charismatic personality’, but now you were empowered in your confidence enough to further pluck away at the ruffled feather he used to conceal the truth.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You know I would travel with you right?” You asked hopefully, your eyes shimmering as your fingers wrapped around themselves. “I’d come along if you’d ask me to.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master didn’t react as he stared down at the soup before him with a narrowed gaze, his barely distinguishable reflection gazing back. Clearing your throat, you pushed the stray hairs away from your face and continued.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“We could be just like them-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>In an instance the tension that had been curling between you both snapped, like a rubber band being pulled too taut. Slamming his fists down on the table, you jumped in your seat as he stared at you with a ferocious glare, his teeth barred as he heaved with anger. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’M NOT ENVIOUS OF THE DOCTOR!” He shouted, the corner of his nose twitching. “In what universe would you think I’d want to be like him?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You looked away ashamed as you felt your eyes water at his outburst, your cheeks flushed a deep red as you struggled to keep your feelings in check. You had known that your pushing would lead to an outburst eventually, and it seemed that you had completely underestimated the strength of which you had pried away at his walls. From experience you had learnt that the question he posed was a rhetorical one, and that silence or a change of topic was the only way to clear the air.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Reaching for your spoon once more you stirred your soup slowly, the bowl long cold since you had first sat down for your late evening meal.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Why did you leave?” You muttered as you avoided the blazing fire of his eyes, “And why come back now? Is there something wrong?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master’s clenched fists relaxed as he leaned back in his chair across from you, the tenseness he had embodied from his outburst melting away as he also returned to eating the rest of his mushroom soup.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re asking all of the wrong questions.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I don’t care for any others.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master sighed as though your mere existence was a burden to his life.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I left because I found more exciting things to do- a little coup here, presidency there-” He paused, his tone offensive as he looked to inflict as much damage as he could. “-You want to know why I’m back and the answer is just as simple. I got bored, wanted a change of scenery and I figured- my experimentation with you was cut short, and in light of recent… events… I’ve decided to return and finish them.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You ignored the cold chill that slipped down your spine at the revelation, your heart clenching tightly in your chest as his true intentions were revealed. Deep down you had known it was hopeful to believe that he had returned because he had missed your company as much as you did his, that you had been optimistic in the dreamlike confessions you had imagined slipping from his lips. Experimentation was the one thing you hated from your time spent together, you could still recall the sharp sting of the needles and ache from physical tests he had put you through. But truthfully? Relief was the one overwhelming feeling that pulsed through you in that moment, the knowledge of his well being and state of mind calming the nerves that bubbled to life at the thought of another spate of tests and trials.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Concealing your relief as best as you could, you smiled half heartedly. “So you’re ok?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master’s eyes snapped to your own as he narrowed his gaze, his head tilted in befuddlement.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’ve just told you that I’m planning on completing my <em>experimentation</em> and you’re concerned for <em>my</em> <em>welfare</em>?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I-” You stumbled on your words as you were caught out, “Well I suppose- I-” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Distracting yourself you closed the folder between you and pushed it to one side, your eyes shifting around the bright decorations of your flat as you continued to nervously stammer.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“<em>Obviously</em> I’d prefer it if you didn’t but…” You paused, your eyes catching his own in a moment of vulnerability. A series of images flickered across your mind as you recounted the countless times you had rehearsed this type of scenario out in your bathroom mirror, how you had finally voiced your slowly developing feelings with a single phrase or smooth and confident line. Your practice had failed you as you sat across from him now, his dark intimidating presence rattling you to your core as your confidence quaked under his gaze. “-I’m glad, in a way, because I.. well I guess-</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Swallowing away the lump in your throat, you pushed on regardless.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>”I missed you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master’s mouth opened slightly before closing, the vein in his temple twitching as he looked away from you and back down to the bowl of soup before him. Dipping his spoon into the mixture, you watched silently and hopefully as the Master scooped some up, slipping it into his mouth as he closed his eyes and savoured the flavours. His body froze as his eyes flew open, his cheeks flexing as he washed the liquid through his mouth as though he was a food critic evaluating its taste.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You had been about to question his confusing actions when the parrot that had accompanied him before fluttered through the air between you. Releasing a cry at it’s sudden movements, your hand snapped outwards to catch the rocking bottle of gin which remained perched in the no man's land between you. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Settling down against the Master’s arm, the creature crawled up his shoulder so that it was inches away from his ear. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Master” It sang, “Mushrooms.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master’s eyes widened as he immediately spat the mushroom soup from his mouth, his arm swooping across the table as he swiped it off its surface in one action. The bowl went flying as its contents splashed across the cupboards of your kitchen, the porcelain bowl shattering into pieces across the floor. Standing from your seat you stared down at the mess in shock, your mouth dropping open as you turned to admonish him for his actions.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Or at least you were until the Master’s hands encircled your throat, his body crashing into yours as he pushed you back up against the wall of your flat. Squeezing down hard, you gasped as he pushed you upwards and away from the floor, your legs dangling and barely supporting your weight as he drained the life out of your eyes. Locking onto his gaze, your fingers curled around his own as you desperately tried to alleviate the pressure in some way.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Ma-” You choked, “Master…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What is this?” He questioned, his eyes narrowed and seething with anger. Shifting his head to the side, he glanced back at the remaining bowl of soup placed in front of your seat. He seemed on edge as his eyes fluttered between yourself and your apartment, his hands on your throat never leaving as he fired a series of questions at you. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You <em>should</em> know I don’t play games.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I-” You gasped, “k...kn-know.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I should have snapped you and K’vo the moment you were miniaturized.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Pl-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You<em> almost</em> had me convinced, I’ll give you that.” The Master’s eyes gleamed with a sickening darkness that chilled you to the bone.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What you think you saw in my head though? It’s not true. A lie, just like all the others lies I have ticking around up-” One of his hands released your throat as he tapped it against his temple, his eyebrows wiggling as he almost vibrated with excitement. “Here…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Mas-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Almost a flawless plan.” He admonished again, “Only Y/N wouldn’t have said those things, she has no reason to.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“W-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“But you would have known that if you looked back far enough.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>His second hand returned as he pressed down harder against your skin, your throat aching as a strange darkness swirled around the outskirts of your vision, its warmth drawing ever closer to you as it pulled you away from reality and down towards the oblivion.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Where is she?” The Master demanded, his questions punctuated with the tightening of his fingers. “Did you kill her? Take her place?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You croaked as your eyes began to flutter closed, your fingers loosening from his grip on your throat. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You better pray to whatever <em>worthless </em>god you believe in that you didn’t kill her.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Just as everything seemed lost you remember the old psychic tricks he had once tried to teach you all those years ago, your skin still crawling at the memory of his fingers against your temple as his mind pushed in against your own. You hadn’t practiced since then, but as the life slowly drained from your body like the water down a drain, you limply reached out for his own temple. The Master’s eyes widened as you quickly pressed down against his skin, your fingers brushing his hair away from his temples as your eyes fluttered closed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Diving deep you pulled free all of the thoughts, feelings and memories you could, throwing them all in his direction in a final attempt at surviving. You couldn't feel his mind pressing back against you at first, but ever so gently you felt the prodding of another against your own, your concentration waning as you kept your focus on the memories you had once shared. Images flashed across your mind like the snapshots of a polaroid stored in a scrapbook, time you had spent together with the Master being your main focus. You remembered the days spent in his study as he walked around you with an inquisitive stare, the sharp sting of the needles as they pressed into your skin and he drew samples, you remembered his hand warm in your own as he pulled you along a busy high street in Manchester, the pungent smell of smoke as you sat beside him in a bar as he smoked a cigar. You remembered the warmth of his arms as he wrapped them around you in a hug, recalled the softness of his touch as he had wiped away the tears that had escaped your eyes from a nightmare. All of the fondness, happiness and ultimately love that you felt for him was folded up into a package and delivered to him with a bow, your heart and the feelings you held open and put on display; a sacrifice for your life as a whole.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As if he had been burnt the Master’s hands released and he stepped away, your own legs too weak to support your form as you crashed to the floor languidly. You didn’t even flinch as your head struck the ground particularly hard, a shard of ceramic cutting into your cheek as your face pressed down into the lino flooring of your kitchen. You stared lifelessly through your fading vision at the Masters bare feet, his figure moving in a blur as his knees crashed to the ground and his hands pressed against your shoulder.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Y/N?” He croaked, his hand gently brushed against your chin as he tried to guide your gaze to his own.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Exhaling you felt yourself slump forwards and into his arms, your eyes fluttering closed as you fell into the cold embrace of nothingness.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>When you came to, the first thing you noted was the soft cottons that surrounded you, your pillows pressed just right beneath your head. Your fingers twitched as you clenched your grip around the thick covers, a small groan slipping from the back of your throat as you shuffled slightly in your bed. Blearily your eyes fluttered open, your bedroom dark and blurry as a tear slipped from the corner of your eye and down the side of your cheek. Tilting your head, you winced as the skin on your neck tugged slightly, your eyes clenching shut as you flexed your jaw. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re awake.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Rolling your head to the side, your eyes snapped open as you spotted the Master sitting in a kitchen chair beside your bed, his eyes locked on your form as he leant forwards against his hands. You watched silently as he slowly pulled himself out of the chair and shuffled closer to your side, his warm brown eyes on your own as he looked down upon you from beside your bed. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The events of the evening snapped back into place as your mouth fell open in shock, your hand sneaking its way out of the covers as you pressed your fingers against your throat. The skin felt warm and ached beneath your touch, your head spinning as you tried to process everything that had happened.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Don’t try to talk.” The Master commanded as he shifted the weight between his feet, reaching across to your bedside table, he handed you a small mirror. “You’re still healing.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Accepting the mirror gently, you turned it to peer at your neck. As you had expected, your skin shimmered with a faint golden glow. Your veins seemed to pulse with light as it slowly wrapped around the dark red bruise that blossomed across your skin, before your eyes the colour shifted in hue, symbolising the healing that you were undergoing. Dropping the mirror, you nervously shifted your gaze to the Master, your mouth opening to speak and failing as a small croak spilled past your lips.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“<em>Don’t</em>.” He warned.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>For a moment you took him in, the dishevelled look of his hair, the redness that stood out around his eyes. He looked anxious and concerned, as though he had been pacing backwards and forth while running his hands through his unruly locks of hair. His posture was hunched in on itself, so far from the confident aura he usually excluded. You would almost go as far to say he looked weak, a shell of the man he usually portrayed to the world. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You wanted to ask him a million questions, prod him about his reactions and the intensity of which he had squeezed down upon your throat. You could tell by his demeanour and the accusations he had thrown that he hadn't meant to hurt you, his mind had been twisted and pulled as he misinterpreted the setting completely. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master, who had stayed standing beside you silently seemed to read your mind, a heavy sigh falling from him as he slowly lowered himself down onto the edge of your bed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I thought that you were someone else.” He explained, his hands running across his face tiredly. “Someone who tried to have me killed.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Pressing your elbows beneath you, you levied yourself further up the bed, your head tilted to the side as you gestured for him to continue.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I was betrayed by a 4 million year old lizard.” He smirked, his features darkening as he slowly started to lose himself. “Of course I anticipated it- maybe… maybe not… Either way it’s admirable-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Your brow furrowed as he complimented his supposed attacker, your hand uncurling from the thick sheets of your duvet as you slowly reached out towards him. Pressing your hand against his arm, you tried to forget the flinch that overtook him as his head whipped around to face you. With wide eyes you smiled weakly, your thumb brushing across the soft silk of his dressing gown.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Reigned in from his rant and comfortable with the contact, the Master continued.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“They tried to have me killed- overdosed on mushrooms! <em>HA!</em>” He laughed slightly too forcefully. “Imagine that, the great and mighty Master, the embodiment of all the chaos the universe has to offer, killed by the simple mushroom.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Shaking your head you nudged him again, silently conveying you disapproval of the idea. The forced grin fell from his features as he nodded slowly, conceding to your warm gaze.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“The Doctor always manages to nurture this…” He broke off, his hands raised as he waved them through the space before him. “-sense of unyielding loyalty amongst the people he meets. I’ve seen grown men throw their lives away for an alien they barely know.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Inhaling sharply you brushed your thumb across his arm once more, your heels pressing into the mattress as you shuffled closer to his warmth. Ignoring you completely, the Master stared lifelessly ahead at the wall opposite, his eyes shifting frantically as though he was reliving an event invisible to all but him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I never imagined that-” He frowned, his head turning to you once more. “That someone would hold that for <em>me</em>.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You smiled again as you felt your cheeks heat up, your palms becoming clammy as you slowly dropped your hand away from his arm. In a flurry the Master twisted to catch it, his own fingers wrapping around your wrist as he kept it close. Looking down at your skin, his fingers traced the lines of your palm, his long dark fringe falling across his eyes and casting a shadow over his features. He was in turmoil, thrown into a state of unknown as he seemingly approached the space between you, struggling to address the emotions you had bared before him as you wore your heart on your sleeve. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Taking a deep breath, you felt your heart skip a beat as his fingers curled around your own, his hand squeezing yours reassuringly. Laughing breathlessly you felt the tears slip down your cheeks once more as your gaze locked with his own, his warm eyes flickering across your features before honing in on your lips. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You prayed you were reading the new form of tension that blossomed between you now correctly, feeding off the electric energy that pulsed from the contact he had formed. Inching forwards, you reached out for his shoulder with your other hand, latching onto him for support as you inched gravitated towards each other. The Master obliged as he turned around further, his leg tucking beneath himself as he too slowly started to lean forwards, his breath hot and heavy as it blew across your features. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Your mind raced as you took in every feature you could see, committing it all to memory so that you could relive it for years to come. The Master’s eyes were wide as they stayed focused on your lips, his lips glistening in the low light of your room as they remained parted and awaiting your touch. His eyes still carried the dark bags that they had when he walked in, their surfaces glimmering with an emotion you had never dared to dream seeing in his eyes. You hesitated for a moment, your tongue running across your lips as you prepared yourself for what you had always desired. Closing your eyes, you fought back a smile.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You were mere centimetres apart when he suddenly stepped away, the warmth of his breath replaced with the cold breeze of his departure. The Master’s knees clicked as he jumped to his feet and rounded to the end of your bed, his hand running through his hair while his other clicked his fingers in concentration. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Suppressing the surge of disappointment and sadness that flooded your system, you sighed and slumped further back into your bed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“We have a lot to prepare.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Pr-” You tried, your throat aching as the words barely formed. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Master regarded you with another warning stare, a single hand falling to his hip as he jutted his finger towards you. Raising your hands in mock surrender, you tried to act out your question, begging for more information as to his jittery appearance.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Packing.” He supplied unhelpfully, his hand waving off to the side as he gestured to an open case.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Your features fell as you came crashing down from the high you had been feeling moments ago, your heart shattering on the floor around you as the Master beamed the brightest smile. He was leaving, running off again into the wide open world and leaving you behind. Deep down you supposed this was what was always going to happen, and admonished yourself for allowing your heart to be opened for all to see. Of course he would reject your feelings, of course he wouldn't reciprocate them in kind. He was a bird of prey, desperate to fly and explore the world, being with you would only shackle him down. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You nodded with a watery smile, your arms thrown wide as you gestured to the wardrobe where he had retrieved his clothes from earlier that evening. The Master’s own smirk fell as he watched you fall back into the bed, your arm curling under the cover as you pulled it up and over your head. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Sinking into the sheets, you hid yourself from his gaze and allowed yourself a moment to mourn the relationship you had lost. The Master was the only other person who had truly understood you, was the one thing that you had clung to during years of isolation. You didn’t even know your true self, you wouldn't have if it wasn't for him. You didn’t like to admit it by the Time Lord before you was so intricately woven into your life it was hard not to feel the way you did for him, he would always be the one thing you yearned for, and ultimately it would break your heart.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The self pity you wallowed in was broken when the covers you hid beneath were wrenched back, the Master’s eyes narrowed as he watched you roll onto your back once more.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I need your help.” The Master tried again. “Last time I packed for a woman it was me, and I had a very particular taste in clothing- c<em>orsets</em>- ah…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You felt your heart race with a sense of hope as he shook his head, his smile returning once more.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Not for me anymore.” He added, “Almost killed me the second time around.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jolting upwards you watched as he turned and walked over to your nearby set of draws, his hands latching to the knobs as he pulled it open and peered inside. A soft hum bubbled from the back of his throat as he sifted through the mass of material, his hands picking up a pair of lacy briefs and eyeing them closely. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You cringed as you pressed your hands to your cheeks, your head shaking as you desperately tried to pull yourself from the bed. Planting your feet on the floor, you tried to reach out for him. Rocking forwards, you stumbled as your knees quaked with lethargy, the Master turning around just in time to catch you from hitting the ground once more. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Hoisting you up into his arms, he inhaled sharply as you unintentionally pressed up against him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What is it with you and not understanding the word ‘<em>rest</em>’.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You rolled your eyes as you were eased back into the bed, the Master kneeling down before you as he gave you a pointed look. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Rest.” He commanded again, his hand brushed across your cheek as he pushed the stray hairs away from your face. His fingers dancing around your temple as you felt his mind press in against your own, his presence warm and inviting as he pulled your consciousness away from beneath you. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Falling backwards you melted into the softness of your bed, a soft moan crackling from your throat as your eyes fluttered closed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re going to need it where we’re going.”</p>
</div>
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